An energy absorbing steering column for a motor vehicle commonly includes a mast jacket consisting of a pair of telescopically related tubular elements, a steering shaft consisting of a pair of telescopically related shaft elements, and a steering hand wheel on the steering shaft. The steering shaft is rotatably supported on the mast jacket and collapses longitudinally with the mast jacket in response to an impact on the steering hand wheel. An energy absorber converts into work a fraction of the kinetic energy of the impact in response to longitudinal collapse of the mast jacket. In such steering columns, the mast jacket must be long enough to accommodate a longitudinal collapse stroke consistent with acceptable energy absorbing performance and the span of the telescopic overlap between the tubular elements thereof must afford enough rigidity in beam bending to substantially isolate the steering shaft from beam bending forces which would otherwise interfere with smooth longitudinal collapse of the steering shaft. In a motor vehicle having a stationary electric power assist apparatus in front of the steering column, the space occupied by the electric power assist apparatus reduces the space available for the mast jacket of such prior steering columns to the extent that the length of the mast jacket may not be consistent with both acceptable performance of the energy absorber and acceptable rigidity in beam bending. A steering column according to this invention has a longitudinal collapse stroke consistent with acceptable energy absorbing performance and has acceptable rigidity in beam bending in a motor vehicle environment including a stationary electric power assist apparatus in front of the steering column.